Fracture (2007)

An attorney, intent on climbing the career ladder toward success, finds an unlikely opponent in a manipulative criminal he is trying to prosecute.

Director:

Gregory Hoblit

Writers:

Daniel Pyne (screenplay), Glenn Gers (screenplay)

Stars:

Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling, David Strathairn

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Hopkins	...	Ted Crawford
Ryan Gosling	...	Willy Beachum
David Strathairn	...	DA Joe Lobruto
Rosamund Pike	...	Nikki Gardner
Embeth Davidtz	...	Jennifer Crawford
Billy Burke	...	Lt. Rob Nunally
Cliff Curtis	...	Detective Flores
Fiona Shaw	...	Judge Robinson
Bob Gunton	...	Judge Gardner
Josh Stamberg	...	Norman Foster
Xander Berkeley	...	Judge Moran
Zoe Kazan	...	Mona
Judith Scott	...	Resident
Gary Carlos Cervantes	...	Ciro (as Carlos Cervantes)
Petrea Burchard	...	Dr. Marion Kang

Storyline

Wealthy, brilliant, and meticulous Ted Crawford, a structural engineer in Los Angeles, shoots his wife and entraps her lover. He signs a confession; at the arraignment, he asserts his rights to represent himself and asks the court to move immediately to trial. The prosecutor is Willy Beachum, a hotshot who's soon to join a fancy civil-law firm, told by everyone it's an open and shut case. Crawford sees Beachum's weakness, the hairline fracture of his character: Willy's a winner. The engineer sets in motion a clockwork crime with all the objects moving in ways he predicts.

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Plot Keywords:

police | murder weapon | court | engineer | trial | 

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Taglines:

I shot my wife.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some violent content

Details

Official Sites:

Metropolitan Filmexport [France] New Line Cinema [United States]

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 April 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Crimen perfecto

Filming Locations:

4411 Noeline Avenue, Encino, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,014,657, 22 April 2007, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$39,015,018

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$91,354,215

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema,Castle Rock Entertainment,Weinstock Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After the arraigning judge refers to Willy Beachum as 007, he sleeps with Nikki Gardner. Rosamund Pike, who played Nikki, also portrayed Miranda Frost in Die Another Day (2002). In that movie, Miranda slept with 007.

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Goofs

Beachum's home is on the corner lot of Minnesota St and Prewett St. When he is leaving his driveway the morning of the trial (at around 43 mins) the sun appears to be rising over Downtown LA. However, since his home is north-west of LA it is actually setting over it - the sun never rises over LA from the perspective of his home.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Crawford's Secretary: The NTSB guys are here about that bulkhead problem.
Ted Crawford: OK, thanks.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits, rather than merely superimposed on the background, cast shadows and have reflections as if they exist in the scene.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Vacancy/Lonely Hearts/In the Land of Women/Fracture (2007)

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Soundtracks

Ombra Fedel Anch'io
Composed by Riccardo Broschi
Performed by Vivica Genaux (as Vivica Geneaux)
Pianist Paul Floyd

User Reviews

great noir

Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling, David Strathairn, and Rosamund Pike star in "Fracture," a 2007 film directed by Gregory Hobbitt.

I only have one complaint about this film, which is that I had eye strain because it was so dark throughout. I'm not talking about the atmosphere, which yes, was dark, but most of this film was done in darkness.

Nevertheless, it is a very effective modern noir. Hopkins plays a man who knows his wife is cheating on him and kills her. Then he confesses. A young, ambitious assistant DA, Willy Beachum (Gosling) is talked into taking the case, an apparent slam dunk, even though he's about to take a job with a huge corporate law firm. Unfortunately, it's not the slam dunk he thinks, and before he knows it, he's been disgraced in court and his new job is on the line. Desperate, Willy begs his boss (Strathairn) to see it through.

Great story, very clever, with Hopkins and Gosling playing an effective cat and mouse game throughout. I'd hate to have to act opposite Anthony Hopkins unless my name was Emma Thompson, but Hopkins underplays this beautifully, and he and Gosling make a very effective team. With both men, it's almost as if one can read his thoughts as Hopkins gives a half smile and Gosling stares and sets his jaw.

Though this story is about the conflict between two massive egos who always win, the underlying mystery is excellent as well.

If you like this kind of film, and I do, don't miss this one.